My first job in journalism was as an events and museums reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. I had lived in Richmond on campus at the University of Richmond for four years, but I had not seen much of the city. Occasional trips to Pony Pasture on a nice day, shopping excursions to Regency mall and weekend jaunts to bars in The Fan and Shockoe Bottom were about the extent of my exposure beyond the UR bubble.
So it was eye-opening, to say the least, to be tasked with sharing news of Richmond cultural institutions and events with readers in the region. I remember those first few months with fondness, as I got up to speed by visiting every museum and historic site in town. As jobs go, it was not too shabby. I got the royal treatment with behind-the-scenes, director-led tours of the Science Museum of Virginia, The Valentine, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, The Poe Museum, the Museum of the Confederacy and more. It was like an endless vacation — only I had to write about it, and I got paid.
Since then, most of my career has continued to revolve around Richmond’s cultural scene, but even I have to admit there are still a few places in town I have yet to visit, such as St. John’s Church for the “Liberty or Death” reenactment, something I’ve been meaning to do for years. As we talked around the office, each staff member could list at least a few places they have never been but have been meaning to check out — someday.
That’s where the idea for our cover feature, “Be a Tourist in Your Own Town,” came in. As we get wrapped up in daily responsibilities, weekend chores and life in general, it’s easy to forget to take advantage of all the region has to offer. We’ve developed five themed itineraries, from a family-friendly tour to a daylong shopping excursion, to make it easy to get the most out of your adventures. When friends and family visit during the holidays, you’ll have plenty to choose from, but don’t wait for a special occasion to get out and explore. Ditch your weekend errands, forget about that pile of laundry and spend a day seeing the region as a tourist would.
This issue also includes a fascinating look at the origins of Richmond’s counterculture — wouldn’t it be cool to go back to visit Grace Street in its beatnik heyday? — and examines the business of local food startups that are working to get their goods distributed on shelves near and far. We also preview the upcoming VCU Rams basketball season and take a look at how “Harriet,” the major motion picture adaptation of abolitionist Harriet Tubman’s story, got made in Richmond.
